Mechanical movement



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shea 1. H. K. WHITNER.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

N0. 363,103 Pat gnted May 17, 1887.

'IWML N. PETERS, PhoIn-Lilhognphm'. Washington. 0. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' H. K. WHITNER.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

No. 363,103. Patented May 17, 1887.

IINITED STATES PATENT HIRAM K. \VHITNER, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOBTO THE W HITNER AUTOMATIC SAFETY BRAKE COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN,CONNECTICUT.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,103, dated May 1'7,1887.

Application filed November 16, 1886. Serial No. 210,078. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM K. VVIIITNER, of New York, in the county andState of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement inMechanical Movements, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe a mechanical movement embodying my improvement, and thenpoint out its various novel features in the'claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a plan or top View of amechanical movement embodying my improvement and part of a railway-rail,a switch, and appurtenances with which the same may be combined, themeehauical movement being represented in one of its several conditions.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanical movement in anothercondition. Fig. 3 is a like view showing the mechanical movement instill another condition. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of themechanical movement, taken at the plane of the dotted line mm, Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a plan or top view of one of four arms comprised in themechanical movement, this-arm having a modified construction as comparedwith the arms shown in the other figures. Fig. 6 is a plan view ofamodification of this mechanical movement. Fig. 7 is a similar view ofthis last modification, but showing its parts in a different position.Fig. 8 is a similar view of another modification of this mechanicalmovement. Fig. 9 is another and similar view of the last modificationwith its partsin a different position. Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views ofmodifications wherein two rods are operated by the toggle-arms. Fig. 11is a plan of another modification wherein two rods are operated by thetoggle-arms.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

In Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, Adesignates a rod which is to be shiftedlongitudinally into different positions and locked in its extreme positions. This rod may be used for shifting and locking a railway-switch,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, or for any other purpose. As shown inthe figures just enumerated, it is fitted in a guide, c, consisting of astaple or strap. At one end it is connected to the railwayswitch. Therod may of course be guided in various ways to subservc the samepurpose. The rod A in the diagrammatic views is intended to be suitablyguided.

B B B B designate four arms, which are combined with the red A and witha traversebar, C, for imparting longitudinal movements to the rod A andlocking it. I will first describe the construction and operation ofthese parts as they are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The arms BB are pivotally connected at their remote ends to supports S, which arearranged adjacent to the rod A. The remote ends of the arms B B" arepivotally connected to the rod A. The arms B B are pivotally connectedtogether, and the arms B B" are 6 5 pivotally connected together. In thepresent example of my improvement the arms B B are arranged on one sideand the arms B" B* on the other side of the rod A.

In the present example of my improvement 7:) the location of the pointsat which the remote ends of the arms B B are pivotally connected to thesupports S bears such relation to the points at which the arms B B areconnected to the rod A that when the pair of arms B B 7 and the pair ofarms B B are equally deflected from the red A, as shown in Fig. 2, thepoints at which the arms B B are connected to the rod A will be oppositethe points at which the remote ends of the arms B B are connected to thesupports S. This relation is desirable, but not by any means essentialto my improvement.

The traverse-bar C coacts with the pairs of arms B B B B, but is notconnected thereto. The pairs of arms have jaws at their connected ends,and these jaws close at times over or around pins 0 c, with which thetraverse-bar is provided, and open at other times to release such pins.The jaws of the arms B B are marked b 6 and the jaws of the arms B B aremarked b b*. The jaws b b coact with the pin 0' of the traverse-bar, andthe jaws b b"coact with the pin 0 of such bar. It will beseen that whenthe traverse-bar C is in a position 5 half-way between either of itsextreme positions, as shown in Fig. 2, the pins 0 c are in contact withthe arms B B B B. Vhen the bar C is moved out of this position, which isrepresented by Fig. 2, one of the pins 0 0 will IOO be removed from thearms with which it contacted, and the other of said pins will beembraced by thejaws of the arms with which it coacts.

I will explain the operation of the traverse bar and arms moreparticularly with reference to the parts shown as combined with them inthis example of my improvement.

D designates one of a pair of rails in a railway.

D designates one of a pair of switch-rails, which, as here shown, areconnected to and shifted by the rod A. The traverse-barf? may beoperated by any convenient means extending from it to a place where aswitchman is stationed. A convenient mechanism for operating it willconsist of rods or links and bell-crank levers, such as are ordinarilyused for imparting motion to switch operating mechanism of common forms.

When the switch-rails D are to be adjusted into proximity with therailsD, the traversebar 0 is shifted into the position in which it isrepresented by Fig. 1. WVhen this is done, the arms B B will have beenswung into line with each other, and as their meeting ends are connectedclose to that edge of the arms which is adjacent to the rod A, any forcetending to move the switch-rails D in direction of arrow 10 will beresisted by the arms B B. This will be due to the fact that such forcewould tend to swing the arms toward the rod A, and the pin 0, fittingbetween the jaws of these arms, will preclude and stop or prevent suchaction. The movement of the traverse-bar into this position (representedby Fig. 1) will also have pinc, and the pin c'will have been moved farbeyond said jaws.

I I may here call attention to the fact thatthe traverse-bar C willpreferably be made of two portions, one arranged above the other, andconnected by the pins 0' c When thus made, one of its portions willpreferably extend below the arms B B B B and rod A, and the otherportion above these parts.

The, traverse-bar 0 may be guided in its movements by any suitablecontrivanee upon the ground or other support, such as hearings orradius-bars; but it will be found sufficient to provide guides upon thearms B B B B for that purpose. I have shown such guides, consisting ofpins d d" d (2*, arranged on said arms.

Although the arms B B will securely lock the rodA in position, yet, ifpreferable, one of said arms may be provided with apin, e, which willenter a transverse hole or groove in the rod-A whenever said arms B Bare swung inward close to the rod A.

Inlieu of or in addition to locking the rod A by the means alreadydescribed, I may cause a detector-bar, E, which I have shown, to lockthe rod. This detector-bar is shown as supported 101086 to one of therails D by radiusarms f, and combined with a lever, E, that is fulcrumedon a support, E between the ends and connected near one end to thetraversebar 0 by means of a pin affixed to the latter and passingthrough alongitudinal slot'in said lever. When the traverse-bar isshifted into its extreme positions, the lever E will be vibrated andthus caused to move the detectorbar in the direction of the length ofthe latter. Owing to the manner in which the detectorbar is supported itwill necessarily be elevated in order that it may be shifted from one toan other of its extreme positions. It cannot, therefore, be shifted fromone to the other of these positions whilethe wheel of a car is over it.The inability of the switchman to shift the switch at such timeindicates the presence of a train there. In moving to either {of itsextreme positions the detector-bar descends. Therefore, by providingtransverse grooves g g at such parts of the rod A as will be oppositethe detector-bar when the latter is in its extreme positions, thedetector-bar may be made to engage with the rod A to lock it, and henceto secure the switch-rails.

When the traverse-bar is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3, thearms B B will be brought into line close to the rod A, and the arms B13* will be swung away as far as possible from the rod A. In, short, theoperation of the two pairs of arms will be exactly the reverse in everyrespect from their operation when in the positions illustrated in Fig.1.

The arms B B may be provided with a pin, 6, which will operate like thepin 6, but to secure the rod A in another position.

It will be seen that the traverse-bar moves a greater distancetransversely of the rod A than either pair of arms. Owing to thistherewill be a differential movement of the pairs of arms, and consequently adifferential movement of the rod A, when adjusted from one of itsextreme positions to the other. Indeed, the arms will shift the rod Athroughout its range-of motion, and then look it in their finalmovements when they swing into line. The detector-bar will also have adifferential movement. The pairs of arms constitute in effect pairs oftoggles. The traverse-bar O operates upon these pairs of toggles at apoint of such ad vantage that power is economized in the operation ofthe rod A.

In Fig. 5 I have shown that, if desirable, I may impart to the jaws ofthe arms B B B B a swinging movement relatively to the arms themselves.I have only illustrated this feature in connection with one of the arms.Its jaw is pivotally connected to it by a pin, b and is pivotallyconnected to one end ofa rod, b, which at the-other end is pivotallyconnected tothe ground, or some othersupport at a point distant from thepoint where the arm is pivoted to its support. This will be especi allydesirable when the arms B B B B have little movement, or when the jawsare inward IIO of the points at which the arms are connected together,as shown in 11.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown two pairs of arms, B B B B, arranged onthe same side of the rod A, instead of one pair being arranged at eachside thereof, as in the example of my improvement first described. Inthis example of my improvement (illustrated by Figs. Band 7) the remoteends of the arms 13"]? are pivotally connected to supports S, and theirad jacent ends are pivotally connected to arms B B", which are at theother ends pivotally connected to the rod A. Instead of a traversebarwhich operates with a reciprocating motion, as. in the example of myimprovement first described, I here employ a rocking bar or lever, O,fulcrumed between the ends, and provided near the ends with pins 0 c.The pairs of arms 13 B B 13' are provided at their meeting ends withjaws, as in the other example of my improvement. hen the bar 0 isrocked, so as to straighten out one pair of arms into line and proximitywith the rod A, the jaws of this straightened pair of arms will embracethe pin of the bar 0 with which they coact. When one pair of arms isthus straightened out, the movement of the red A and of the bar 0 willcause the other pair of arms to be swung as far away from the rod aspossible. Each arm of the bar 0 in rocking away from the rod A movesfarther than the pair of arms with which such arm coacts. Its pin,therefore, in this movement becomes disengaged from the arms, the jawsof the arms being opened to permit of this. The lever may be rocked bymeans of a rod extending to it. The red A may be employed to operate aswitchrail or any other article required with like movement or areciprocating movement.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown still another modification of myimprovement, involving the arrangement of two pairs of arms, BB' B B,upon the same side of the rod A. The arms B B are pivotally connected attheir remote ends to supports S, and at their adjacent ends arepivotally connected to arms B B", that are connected pivotally with acrankarm, 0, extending from a rocking bar or lever, and the pairs ofarms operate in the same way as in the example of my improvement whichis illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7. The crank-arm is connected with the rodA. The lever may be operated by any suitable means as, for instance, arod connected to one end.

In Fig. 10 two rods, A A*, are employed. They are supported and guidedso as to be capable of independent movement. The arms B B coact with therod A'and the arms 13 B with the rod A The travcrsebar O operates inconjunction with the toggle-arms, as in the first-describcd example ofmy improvement. Obviously, in the present example of my improvement eachrod will at one period of its action move while the other is motionless.

In the example of my improvement shown in Fig. 11 two rods, A A*, areused. They are guided to move lengthwise, They have pairs of togglearmsB B and B" B connected with them. Thejaws of these arms are on theadjacent instead of the remote or distant sides of the pairs of arms.The traverse-bar needs only one pin, 0. It will be seen that 1n thisexample of my improvement the pm of the traverse-bar is engaged with thejaws of the toggle-arms when the latter are wholly flexed or swungoutward and disengaged therefrom when they are straightened into line,because the jaws are opened by the adjustment of the arms into thelatter position and closed by the adjustment of the arms into'thcreverse or firstnamed position.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

-1. A mechanical movement having in com bination a rod or rods,toggle-arms provided with opening and closing jaws, a bar serving toimpart motion to the toggle-arms, and provided with a pin for engagingwith the aws of the toggle-arms, substantially as specified.

2. A mechanical movement having in combination a rod or rods, two pairsof togglearms actingin conjunction with the same,and a bar forimpartingmotion to the pairs of toggle arms, the said toggle-arms being providedwith jawswhich open and close to engage with a pin or pins on theoperating-bar, and one of each pair of arms being connected to the rodor one of the rods which said arms are to opcrate and the other to asupport independent of the rod or rods, substantially as specified.

3. A mechanical movement having in conr bination a rod or rods, twopairs of togglearms for actuating the same, arranged one pair on eachside thereof, and a traverse-bar arranged transverse] y to the rod orrods and to the pairs of arms, said toggle-arms be1ng providcd withjaws, which open and close to engage with a pin or pins on the traversebar, and one of each pair of arms belng connected to the said rod or oneof the rods and the other to a support independently of the rod or rods,substantially as specified.

4. The combination of main rails and switch rails forming part of arailway, a rod for operating the switch-rails, pairs of toggle-armsserving to operate the rod and connected to the .rod and to supportsindependently thereof and having jaws at their connected ends, a rodprovided with pins, which may engage with the jaws of the arms so astoimpart mo tion to the arms, a detector-bar adjacent to one of the mainrails, and a lever connected to the detector-bar and to the bar whichimparts motion to the toggle-arms, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a rod, a pair of toggle- ICC) arms connectedtogether and connected one to the rod and the other to an. independentsupport, a bar serving to impart motion to the togglc-arms, and a pincarried by the toggle arms, and serving to engage with the said rod andlock it, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of a rod, a pair of togglearms connected together andconnected, one to the rod and the other to an independent support, a barforimparting motion to the arms, another bar for engaging with atransverse groove in the rod, so as to lock the same,

and a leverconnected at one end to the said locking-bar and at the otherend to the bar that imparts motion to the toggle-arms, substantially asspecified.

7. The combination, with a pair of togglearms, of jaws arranged at themeeting ends at one side of the point at which the arms connect, and apin'for entering the jaws and preventing them from deflecting orswinging in that direction in which they would otherwise swing on theapplication of force in thedirection of their length, substantially asspecified.

8. The combination, with a toggle-arm, of a jaw pivotally connected tothe arm and a rod for swinging saidjaw relatively to the arm,substantially as specified. v

9. The combination of a pair of toggle-arms having jaws which work pasteach other with a shearing action in closing and a pin for engaging withsaidjaws, substantially as specificd.

HIRAM K. WHITNER.

Witnesses:

D. H. DRISOOLL, EDWIN H. BROWN.

